The embodiments herein relate to lifting assemblies and, more particularly, to a helical slotted cable retainer for such lifting assemblies, as well as a method of assembling a lifting assembly.
Many lifting devices require attachment of a wire rope, such as a cable. This may be done by inserting a cable end fitting into a cable retainer, with the components being relatively dimensioned to prevent inadvertent removal of the cable end fitting during regular use. The loading on the lifting device is such that off-center forces may exist, thus requiring the cable end fitting to be a ball type fitting (i.e., spherical). The cable is required to be replaced on a regular basis, so attachment of the cable to the lifting device needs to support easy removal and replacement. The cable is relatively long (e.g., greater than 200 feet), so it is not practical to thread the entire length of the cable through the lifting device in order to achieve attachment.
The cable needs to remain securely attached to the lifting device whether there are tension forces or forces in the opposite direction (i.e., compression). Typically, attachment of the cable is achieved through a retainer ring and a pair of split retainers all located in a cylindrical cavity. The split retainers are assembled to the cable end fitting and the retainer ring is positioned on the split retainers. This assembly is then inserted into the cavity of a housing. However, it can be appreciated that a human installation operator may find difficulty with assembly of the several components described above, particularly due to the split retainer arrangement that must sandwich the cable end fitting.
Providing tension on the cable is present, the split retainers are pulled against the retainer ring and thus remain attached to the cable end fitting. A retaining device is added to prevent detachment of the cable from the lifting device during compressive forces of the cable since such forces may separate the split retainers that otherwise retain the cable end fitting. Unfortunately, the retaining device is prone to incorrect installation due to the cumbersome assembly effort described above.